WardsAuto has announced its 2018 10 Best Interiors, and out of the 10 vehicles chosen, seven are crossovers. The publication evaluated 40 all-new or significantly improved vehicles this year. Red interiors were a common theme with half of the cars featuring the color, six if the burgundy-colored Lincoln Navigator is included in the mix. The publication’s editorial team was happy to see a nice mix of color in this year’s winners and said that the diversity should please buyers looking for something other than the usual black, gray, and beige interiors.
Here are the winners of WardsAuto’s 2018 10 Best Interiors. Do you agree with their picks?
2018 Chevrolet Equinox
You might not guess it just looking at the photo, but the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox‘s cabin impressed judges with its build quality, extensive use of soft-touch materials, and stylish two-tone brown and black interior option. Features like heated and ventilated front seats, 4G LTE connectivity, a wireless charging pad, and the rear seat reminder gave the Equinox extra points for having creature comforts usually found on more expensive vehicles. In our own reviews, we found the Equinox’s interior to be spacious and upscale-looking, but we can’t say we agree with Wards’ findings regarding soft-touch materials, as there are still plenty of hard plastics used throughout.
2018 Hyundai Kona
The latest entry in the booming subcompact crossover segment, the 2018 Hyundai Kona, won praise for its cool neon green accents that break up the all-black interior. Hyundai’s simple center stack design also impressed the WardsAuto editorial staff for its ease of use. It’s a handsome cabin design, but we felt it was a bit too conservative for a car with such a wild, unconventional exterior design.
2019 Infiniti QX50
Infiniti’s latest QX50 was praised for its edginess and use of multiple colors from the brown and blue Ultrasuede on the headliner and center armrest to the semi-aniline leather upholstery matched with brown stitching. The open-pore wood trim in the QX50 also impressed because it harmonizes well with the tri-colored interior. We too found a lot to like about the QX50’s interior, noting that the design and materials are exceptional for the class.
2018 Kia Stinger
The Stinger GT earned Kia its fifth placement on the Wards 10 Best Interiors list thanks to its build quality, user-friendly multimedia system, high-quality materials, and comfortable seats all around. Wards editors also noted that the Kia Stinger GT combines elegance and sportiness with the available two-tone red and black interior. Given that the Stinger was a finalist in our 2018 Car of the Year program, where many editors praised its cabin, we think this is a solid choice
2018 Lexus LS
Lexus’ flagship sedan, the LS, nabbed a spot on WardsAuto’s 10 Best Interiors for its risky interior design and solid build quality worthy of its price tag. The multi-colored interior schemes with hand-pleated and cut-crystal door trims were praised for showing the creativity and craftsmanship of Toyota’s luxury division. We found the cabin well-built, but thought the design was more than a bit polarizing. We also took issue, as always, with Lexus’ insistence on sticking with the track-pad controller for the infotainment system.
2018 Lincoln Navigator
Thanks to its opulent interior that includes beautiful lacquered wood trim, plastics color-matched to the rest of the cabin, and high-quality leather everywhere, the 2018 Lincoln Navigator wowed the editorial team at WardsAuto. Sync 3, which is the latest infotainment system on Ford and Lincoln vehicles, also impressed with its ease of use and good resolution. We can’t argue that the Navigator’s interior is the best we’ve seen in a long time.
2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid
At $201,540, the 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid was the most expensive vehicle on this year’s 10 Best Interiors list. Thanks to the new center stack design that ditches the sea of buttons, the Panamera’s interior won judges over for its clean, intuitive design, slick-looking aluminum trim, and cool brown leather upholstery.
2019 Ram 1500
WardsAuto editors were impressed with the 2019 Ram 1500‘s interior design and build quality, especially in the Limited trim’s available Indigo and Frost two-tone interior. The latest version of FCA’s UConnect infotainment system with the 12.0-inch touchscreen also won points for its boldness and user-friendliness. Based on our experiences so far with the 2019 Ram, we tend to agree.
2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar
The white and black two-tone interior in the Land Rover Range Rover Velar, with its triangle-shaped perforations, exudes luxury. Editors noted that the fit and finish is solid and that the minimalist center stack gives the cabin a serene feel when you’re in it. In our First Drive, we said, “The Velar is positioned above the Evoque and below the Sport in the Range Rover lineup, but it challenges all, including the flagship, when it comes to interior execution.”
2018 Toyota Camry
The 2018 Toyota Camry‘s red leather upholstery coupled with black and silver accents has given the car a much needed upgrade. Additionally, the center stack’s asymmetrical design gives the Camry’s interior a modern look especially with its grooved buttons. We felt the 2018 Camry’s interior marked a huge step forward from the previous model, but found quality to be inconsistent. Some materials definitely look and feel better than before, but others still feel cheap. In a comparison test between the 2018 Camry and the 2018 Honda Accord, we gave the interior edge to the Accord, a car that blurs the line between mainstream and luxury in certain trims.